Hollow-explosive charge construction

ABSTRACT

The construction of an explosive charge includes means for causing deviations from the rotational symmetry of the charge. Such means may comprise the eccentric location of the liner for the charge body or the manner in which the charge may be burned or any combination of these.

Wnited States Patent 11 1 Thomanek [54] HOLLOW-EXPLOSIVE CHARGECONSTRUCTION [76] Inventor: Franz Rudolf Thomanek, Sandizell 38 1/4,Landkreis Schrobenhausen/ Upper Bavaria, Germany 22 Filed: Sept. 7, 196521 Appl. No.: 485,626

[ Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 7. 1964 Germany ..B 78 449[52] U.S. Cl. ..102/24 HC, 102/56, l75/4.6 [51] Int. Cl ..F42b 1/02 [58]Field of Search "102/24 HC, 56; l75/4.6

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,837,995 6/1958 Castel..102/24 HC 2,900,905 8/1959 MacDougall 102/24 HC 14 1 May 15, 19733,108,540 10/1963 Fletcher ..102/24 HC 3,217,650 11/1965 Paul et 1111.......102/24 11c 3,218,975 11/1965 Massey ..102/24 110 3,251,300 5/1966Reyne ..102/24 11c 3,267,853 8/1966 Merendino et a1 ..102/24 1103,280,743 10/1966 1261111161 102/24 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLIcATIoNs1,112,254 11/1955 France ..102/24 11c 1,161,445 3/1958 France ....102/2411c 1,354,270 1/1964 France ..102/24 110 Primary Examiner-Verlin R.Pendergrass Att0rney McGlew & Toren 57 ABSTRACT The construction of anexplosive charge includes means for causing deviations from therotational symmetry of the charge. Such means may comprise the eccentriclocation of the liner for the charge body or the manner in which thecharge may be burned or any combination of these.

3 Claims, 26 Drawing Figures PAIENIEW 3,732,818

SHEET 1 [1P3 INVENTOR Franz Rudolf Thomclnek By WM/AWM M AT TORNEYSPATENTEUHAYISIHYSS 7 2,

SHEET 2 0F 3 INVENTOR Franz Rudolf Thomclnek By 0W0 AT TORNEYSPATENTEDHAYI 51973 3 732,818

SHEET 3 BF 3 15 5- iii- INVENTOR Franz Rudolf Thomclnek ATTORNEYSSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to theconstruction of explosive charges and in particular to a hollowexplosive charge for producing or generating explosive effects along aline, particularly for producing cuts or perforations which extend alonga straight or curved line.

Prior to the present invention hollow charges were constructed to obtainan explosive efiect which is concentrated to a point-like area, as muchas possible, because, in accordance with experience, explosions whichare concentrated in a point are particularly effective in respect toarmored targets. Such charges, however, are not suitable for use forcombatting extended targets or targets which consist of thin walls.

In accordance with the invention, hollow charges are proposed whichyield an increased effect in regard to width or area, while having alesser penetration depth. In particular, it is an object of theinvention to provide hollow charges which cause a cut-like effect inwhich the length of the cut and the depth of the cut of the individualholes or breakthroughs are changeable within predetermined limits byvarying several features of the charge construction.

Experiments have shown that the intended purpose can be obtained indifferent ways. However all these ways have one thing in common, to wit,that means must be provided to vary the prior art rotationallysymmetrical hollow charge construction or firing effect. This appliesboth for small distances of the hollow charge to the target and also fordistances up to 50 and more calibers.

The inventive measures to be effected with hollow charges for producingeffects along at least one line are characterized by a chargeconstruction wherein particularly the lining, and/or the explosivecharge have at least one deviation from the rotation symmetry or thatmeans are provided in order to influence the direction of the detonationwave. The various measures which cause deviation from the rotationsymmetry can also be used in combination. In order to obtain one-sidedeffects, eccentric initiation is suitable and also the onesidedarrangement of a barrier in the charge between the initiation point andthe lining. Also one-sided damming or cutouts provided in the explosivematerials or composite explosive bodies may cause such effects. Further,two-sided plane symmetrical embodiments may be used by an arrangement onone side only.

For the production of curved cuts, the symmetry axis in cross sectionhas to be arranged, with one-sided arrangement, in a helical manner inthe subsequent cross sections. A curved cut can also be obtained byproviding a helical lining axis.

All the methods to obtain cut-like effects upon detonation of the chargemay be divided into two groups dependent on whether the hollow chargescause the formation of a. a bent thorn, or

b. a thorn having a plane-symmetrical cross section.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an explosivecharge which generates explosive effects along a line.

A further object of the invention is to provide an explosive chargeconstruction in which the lining or the explosive charge or the meansfor influencing the direction of the detonation wave are such as tocause a deviation from the rotational symmetry of the charge.

A further object of the invention is to provide an explosive chargewhich is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical tomanufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there are illustrated and described preferredembodiments of the invention. a

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are somewhat schematic side elevational views of anexplosive charge and associated thorn which would be formed thereby uponexplosion;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views of an explosive chargeconstruction with the thorn produced thereby indicated somewhatschematically subjacent the various embodiments of the invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are top perspective views of explosive charges of otherembodiments of the invention;

FIGS. 8 to 11 are transverse sectional views of other embodiments ofexplosive charge, with FIG. 8 indicating the thorn formation;

FIGS. 12 to 17 are top perspective views of still further embodiments ofthe invention;

FIGS. 18 and 19 are horizontal cross sectional views of furtherembodiments of explosive charges;

FIG. 20 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of explosivecharge;

FIG. 21 is a transverse section of still another embodiment of explosivecharge;

FIG. 22 is a front elevational view of another embodiment of explosivecharge;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view of another embodiment of 1 explosive charge;and

FIGS. 24, 25 and 26 are schematic perspective views, partly in section,of still further embodiments of explosive charge.

Referring to the drawings in particular, in FIG. 1 there is shown ahollow charge 1 in diagrammatic simplified manner which causes theformation of a bent thorn 2. Embodiments of hollow charges of thisnature are also shown in FIGS. 3 through 12.

All these hollow charges have the common feature that they have asymmetry plane in which the lining or the explosive charge deviates fromthe symmetry or that in this symmetry plane there are arranged meanswhich influence the direction of the detonation wave.

FIG. 2 shows a hollow charge 3 which yields a plane symmetrical thorn 4.This thorn in a predetermined instance of its development has the crosssections 5 and 6 taken along lines ll-ll and superimposed on the thorn.Such charges have, preferably at diametrically opposite sides,deviations of their symmetry and will be described in connection withthe embodiments of FIGS. 13 through 18.

The first group of charges (group a) includes hollow charge bodies whichcause bent or curved thorns, for example as shown in FIG. 1.

A hollow charge 7 which is shown in longitudinal section in FIG. 3 has acharge body 11 whose longitudinal axis 8 defines an angle a relative tothe longitudinal axis 9 of a conical lining 12. The thorn 10 which isformed by the detonated charge is bent. Its mass particles move indirection of the diverging arrows A and cause a cut.

Similar conditions prevail in a hollow charge built in accordance withFIG. 4. This charge 14 has a rotation symmetrical lining 15 and a chargebody 16 which is rotation symmetrical relative to the longitudinal axis20. In this hollow charge the detonation wave is influenced by meansproducing an eccentric initiation 17 of the charge 16. The intersectingcurve of the detonation wave 21 with the lining 15 has a base closestpoint on the right hand generatrix of the lining cone 15. The thorn 22is situated on the left relative to the longitudinal axis and its actionline extends in the section plane in direction of the arrow B.

In FIG. 5 a hollow charge 25 is seen in longitudinal section which has acharge body 26 and a rotational symmetrical lining 27. In thisembodiment the detonation wave is influenced by means of an inertbarrier 28 which is built-in on one side in the charge body 26. In thisembodiment a thorn 29 develops whose action line extends in a crosssectional plane in the direction of the arrow C. The thorn forms on thatside of the hollow charge on which the propagation velocity of thedetonation wave is obstructed by the barrier 28.

An action line which extends toward one direction is also formed if thehollow charge 30, as seen in FIG. 6, is provided with a one-sideddamming means 31. In the FIG. 6 embodiment the parallel action lineextends from the longitudinal axis of the charge toward the lefthandside.

FIG. 7 shows a hollow charge 33 with a one-sided damming means 34 which,in relation to its enveloping associated mass, varies in subsequent orsuccessive cross sections.

FIG. 8 shows in longitudinal section and in a simplified manner a hollowcharge 35 wherein the longitudinal axis 39 of the lining 36 is bent inthe section plane. Such a hollow charge develops a bent thorn 37 ofalmost circular cross section 38.

FIG. 9 shows a longitudinal section of a hollow charge 40 wherein thecharge is composed of two bodies of different explosives 41 and 42. Ahollow charge 44 with a one-sided cutout 43 is shown in FIG. 10. Theaction line extends in both hollow charges (FIGS. 9 and 10) from thelongitudinal axis of the charge to the left if, in the hollow charge ofFIG. 9, the explosive 41 is the one which detonates in a slower manner.The hollow charge 45 of FIG. 1 1 has also an action line which isdirected toward the left. The longitudinal section shows that the lining46 in this hollow charge is reinforced on one side.

A similar measure is shown in FIG. 12. This figure shows a hollow charge47 with dissimilar wall thickness from top to bottom formed by a liningdisposed obliquely in respect to the charge body.

The following hollow charges show thorns of the kind illustrated in FIG.2 and these hollow charges have the same symmetry deviationspredominantly at two diametrically opposed sides.

FIG. 13 shows a construction of charge 50 to create a straight flatthorn. In the hollow charge 50 there are arranged two inert barriers 51and 52 with gap 53 situated therebetween which gap 53 is filled with theexplosive 54. A saddle-shaped detonation wave which is created behindthis gap straightens the flat thorn in the gap plane in the direction ofthe arrow D.

The damming means 55 and 56 of the hollow charge 57 along two sectors ofthe charge cylinder, corresponding to FIG. 14, causes the formation of astraight flat thorn in the longitudinal plane by the undarnmed sectorsin the direction of the arrow E. In accordance with FIG. 15 a hollowcharge 60 is provided wherein the damming means 61 and 62 varies incross section.

FIG. 16 shows a hollow charge 65 wherein two opposing quadrants 66 and67 of the charge cross section consist of a slower acting explosive forexample TNT, in comparison to a more rapidly detonating hexogen- TNTmixture in the two other quadrants 68 and 69. The result in a straight,flat thorn in the plane of the more rapid acting explosive quadrants.

In FIG. 17 the charge 72 has two horseshoe cuts or sections 70 and '71which weaken the explosive wall in a plane-symmetrical manner. Such ahollow charge body 72 causes the formation of a flat thorn in theweakened section plane and whose action line extends in the arrowdirection F.

In FIG. 18 a hollow charge 75 is shown in cross section. Its lining 76has diametrically opposing reinforcements 77 and 78. These cause theformation of a fiat thorn with an action line indicated by arrow G.

If a hollow charge is built such that it has several symmetry planeswhich, for example, include angles of 120, then action lines areobtained which extend in a star-shaped manner.

Such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 19 illustrating the hollow charge 80showing dammings 81 in cross section which are offset relative to eachother by 120". correspondingly, other measures of the kind previouslydescribed may be used. If such charges are used against relatively weaksheet metal, the sheet metal flaps which are formed in this manner willbend through whereby relatively large holes or breakthroughs areobtained.

According to FIG. 20 the symmetry surface 83 of a hollow charge 84 mayalso be in a spiral or helical form or it may, corresponding to FIG. 21,have a symmetry axis 87 which is helical about a longitudinal axis ofthe charge 86. Such hollow charges have bent action lines, for example,a double spiral 88.

In FIG. 22 a hollow charge is shown about which the helical damming 96is arranged. This charge causes a curved out which widens spirally.

FIGS. 23 shows a hollow charge 90 in longitudinal section whose lining91 is provided with a spirally applied reinforcement 92. If thisreinforcement has one turn, then the action line of the charge extendsapproximately to a semicircle, while, if there are two turns, a closedor endless curve is formed.

In FIG. 24 a hollow charge 100 is shown which is built of two differentexplosives 101 and 102. Subsequent cross sections 103 and 104 are turnedrelative to each other. By combination of the measures described inconnection with the individual embodiments, additional hollow chargescan be produced within the scope of this invention.

FIG. 25 shows an explosive body 1 10 with linings I l 1 which arecircumferentially and radially arranged wherein, in conformity with theprevious embodiments, measures are taken in such a manner that theindividual effects of the charges complement each other to an annularlyextending action line 112. The individual charges may furthermore bearranged so that several annular inwardly extending parallel cuts areformed as the sum of the individual partial cuts. In doing so, suchcharges whose section or cut embraces a large annular range, arearranged in a plane, however, with equal inclinations of theirlongitudinal axis relative to the longitudinal axis of the explosivebody.

In FIG. 26 there is shown another explosive body 115 for creatingannular cuts in approximately parallel superimposed extending planes.The explosive body 115 has two sets of vertically spaced hollow chargelinings or incuts 116. The action lines 117 and 118 of the ho]- lowcharge 115 extend in the manner of closed rings about their longitudinalaxes. Analogous to the embodiment, shown, hollow charge linings may bearranged in the explosive body 115 in more than two planes.

In the two embodiments of FIGS. 25 and 26, it is advantageous to arrangethe initiation means for the explosive in the intersection point of thelining axes of the respective groups of hollow charges.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventiveprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A hollow charge construction of a substantially cylindrical chargebody having a single hollow charge liner extending inwardly from oneend, said liner being inclined in respect to the axis of said chargebody.

2. A hollow charge construction according to claim 1, wherein said linerincludes straight sides.

3. A hollow charge construction according to claim 1, wherein said linerincludes curved sides.

1. A hollow charge construction of a substantially cylindrical chargebody having a single hollow charge liner extending inwardly from oneend, said liner being inclined in respect to the axis of said chargebody.
 2. A hollow charge construction according to claim 1, wherein saidliner includes Straight sides.
 3. A hollow charge construction accordingto claim 1, wherein said liner includes curved sides.